


Fallen

by mpmwrites



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Guardian Angels, Canonical Character Death, Gen, M/M, gavin fucked up
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-10-12 13:53:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17468819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mpmwrites/pseuds/mpmwrites
Summary: Gavin Reed was Cole Anderson's guardian angel.He fucked up, and the only way to redeem himself is to take on a special case: HAnk Anderson





	Fallen

**Author's Note:**

> AU was formulated by @the-writing-of-a-gay-idiot on tumblr!

”Fuck.” Gavin cursed.

He never disliked work. He’d worked hard to get the move to children, and every day worked his hardest, knowing one slip could have him shifted right back to politicians, or felons, or teachers, or something equally as tedious and fruitless.

This was his slip.

He couldn’t have prevented the car accident. He'd spent the hours leading up to it shifting moments and stoplights and making the waitress at their table move a little faster with a sweet wave from Cole. He’d gotten Cole’s dad to leave work early and prevented the usual custody swap bitchfight from lasting too long. All to prevent the worst of hundreds of potential outcomes. To prevent Cole and his father from dying instantly, to give them their best chance. They were going to get hurt and he couldn’t prevent all of that. It was the worst part of his job, futilely watching as things happened he couldn't stop. There were things he just _could not_ do. He couldn’t keep the road from icing over, couldn’t keep the truck from sliding, couldn’t make the car move slower.

Couldn’t stop Cole from hitting his head on the door panel.

Couldn’t keep the surgeon from getting high off his ass.

And now he was watching, begging, willing with all power he had to make the fucking android move faster.

Elijah Kamski’s guardian must  have been some kind of powerful to get those things created, but had never thought of the outcome. Guardians had no power over androids, not even in the slightest. He watched as the android was woken from stasis as soon as the nursing staff determined the surgeon couldn’t work. He watched as Cole was intubated while the android walked calmly through the halls.

He watched Cole die under his care, with the android still sanitizing for the procedure.

“Oh fuck.” Gavin repeated, breathless and stricken. The other three children in his care slept soundly in their beds, and as he began to cry, he sent them a silent farewell. They'd be taken from him, and there was nothing he could do.

He had to call it in, and even so, it was a painstaking few hours before the report made it through the proper channels and had someone showing up to relieve him. He had his wings tucked close to his back defensively, like a dog with its tail between his legs. He tried to focus on Hae-Joo who’s day was just beginning in South Korea as he fought his mother on getting up for school because of the exam he had that day. As he convinced Hae-Joo to eat a proper breakfast, Adra in Greece stretched for dance practice and Louis in Greenland continued to sleep.

Cole lay motionless in the morgue.

“Gavin?” The voice behind him made him flinch, sudden panic accompanying what he knew was next. “My name is Connor, I’m your relief sent by the balance department. I’ll be overseeing your charges while you’re put under review.” Spoke the other guardian. His wings were a pure white, contrasting sharply against his black suit. They made Gavin’s own mottled wings look tainted.

“Balance.” Gavin nodded, turning to his replacement. “You’re the dipshit that’s gonna take care of them?” He snapped, looking Connor up and down. “I swear to god if you hurt them I’ll rip every damn feather out of your wings one by one.” He seethed, more emotional than necessary, “Hae-Joo has a history exam today and he’s really fucking nervous even though he studied all last night. And Louis wants to ask Joanna out but he’s gonna get hurt if he does because she has a boyfriend, so make sure he’s careful and his friends are there, okay?” He was babbling, filled with his own panic amplified by what was to come for his kids. "And Arda has an audition coming up but there’s talent scouts coming and she doesn’t know, don’t let her forget to stretch before it!” He demanded, “I’ll be damned if I’m going to let some prick from balances fuck up my kid’s lives.” He promised, hands fisting.

“I assure you that they’re in good hands, Gavin, you’re expected at the balance department’s review center.”

“And you better take care of Cole’s mom and dad.” Gavin punctuated coldly, shoulder checking Connor as he left.

”They’re not _your_ children, Gavin.” Connor spoke plainly, causing Gavin to stop in his tracks. “They have mothers and fathers, but you are nothing to them. They don’t even know you exist.” He wasn’t snarky or mean, he stated his explanation factually.

“That doesn’t fucking mean I love them any less.” Gavin breathed, low and dark sounding. There was a tense moment of quiet between them, and Connor turned to watch him go.

“Be honest with the balances reviewer. It’s… unlikely that you’ve upset the balance with one child, but you _will_ have to pay penance for your actions.” Connor offered, his tone light in a show of goodwill. “But, honesty goes miles for them, and leniency can be shown, especially for... someone who cares for his charges as much as you do.”

\-----

“Gavin, Cole Anderson was not fated to die tonight, and under your care he _did_. While the death of one boy will not tip the scales dramatically, a life, especially that of a child, is absolutely not negligible.” Amanda preened. Her white dress gave way to the crystalline wings of a department head, similar to those of Perkins, the head of Gavin’s own department.

These were the most ancient and experienced guardians, ones that the likes of Gavin never wanted to have cause to counsel with. “However, it is clear that your oversight on the surgeon was unintentional, and that you truly do regret these events. For that, you will be allowed to seek redemption.” She explained, summoning a view of a face familiar to Gavin. He made to speak, but she held up her hand to silence him. Gavin closed his mouth and felt small before the two superior guardians, and stared at the face of Cole’s father, his hair was graying at the temples with age, and he looked so desolate, so broken, so gone.

Amanda began speaking again over the silence of Hank Anderson’s ex wife marching up to him with matching tears on her cheeks as she screamed. Hank didn’t even react. “You will be assigned to a special case, one which will allow you to soften the damage of what you’ve done. Hank Anderson will be your only charge, and your results on his case will be indicative of your future capabilities and assignments.” Amanda explained. “Connor will oversee your former charges, as well as your work with Hank. Do not let us down again, Gavin.” She preached, and Gavin felt the weight of it all pushing down on him.

"What am I supposed to do for him?" He spoke. What else could he say?

"The same as you do for any other charge; _nurture_ him. Keep him safe in the way you failed to do for his son."

The answer hurt. It echoed deep within him as he was returned to his work, and festered there like some kind of pestilence.

His monitor was no longer sectioned into quadrants, but soley featured Hank wailing in his car in the hospital parking lot. Some privacy, Gavin registered as Hank sobbed and his nose ran and he wiped at his face with filthy, soaked sleeves. He was in no condition to drive, but Gavin checked possible paths of action anyway. Hank was 83.7% likely to stay at the hospital, though being there wasn't going to change anything that happened. No, the only thing that would change, that _could_ change was what Hank did from that moment forward. What Gavin helped him to do.

He didn't interfere as Hank tried his damndest to get himself together enough to go back inside, but was overtaken by another wave of sobs. The bottom of the view read out 'Primary Emotive States: Guilt, Loneliness'. With a quick 72 hour check, Gavin could see that loneliness was something like Hank's default, but the guilt was entirely on Gavin's bloodied hands. It all hit him anew, and Gavin's tears flowed while Hank broke down completely. It was too much, way too much. Hours ago Cole was happy and laughing as his dad tried to sneak chicken nuggets off his plate and now Cole was gone, and Gavin would never see his toothy smile again. He'd never see Cole finish the drawing he started of Sumo before Hank took him to eat. It wasn't fair, not for Gavin, not for the surgeon who wouldn't have to answer for Cole's death, not for Cole, and absolutely not for Hank.

Hank started the car and fear plagued Gavin. It was still dark, still icy, and Hank was still shaking all over. Gavin preset the radio to light jazz, knowing Hank didn't need the distraction of talk radio or the intensity of the heavy metal that was listed in his profile prefernces (curated by his previous guardian). The notes had Hank draw a long breath that came out shaky but calmer than before, and Gavin watched with bated breath for the entire thirty-six minute drive home. Sumo barked loudly as Hank entered, but sobered immediately when Cole wasn't with him.

The empathy of animals astounded Gavin. In all his time as a guardian, he'd always had a preference for charges with pets, because, truthfully, they made his job easier. Sumo fed off of Hank's hurt, and followed his owner with his head hung and produced a small whine every now and again as Hank ignored him. Sumo would be Gavin's first tool to help Hank through this, and he hoped he wouldn't need any more.

He was wrong, and Hank seemed to know it.

For months Gavin tried, and tried, and god fucking damnit _tried_ as Hank spiraled, worse and worse by each passing night. Gavin pleaded with him every night. He begged Hank not to drink, to eat something, to feed Sumo, to get some sleep, and no matter what he did, it was always the same. He would get Hank's card declined at the liquor store, only for Hank to pull out cash. He'd get Hank to completely forget his wallet at home, and Hank would still go back out to medicate himself. He'd get a suspect to give Hank a good chase to exhaust him, and Hank would only drink until he passed out sooner than usual. The only way he could get Hank to eat anything healthy was when he had the takeout guy deliver a side salad with his pizza by mistake.

He was failing, and felt his failure grow exponentially with every carefully manipulated round of Russian roulette. "Stop fucking blaming yourself." Gavin demanded out loud, knowing full well Hank couldn't hear him over the click of the empty pistol barrel. "It's not your fucking fault." He cried as he eased the probability and the barrel stopped one shot short of fatality. "I did this to you." he swore as tears fell and Hank found another slug of whiskey more appealing than the next shot. " _Stop_." he kept begging, watching Hank stand to stumble to the bathroom, only to return and spin the barrel again. "What am I supposed to do for you?!" He screamed as Hank wavered with the revolver aimed near his temple. His hand shook enough that he dropped the weapon and conceded for the night.

Gavin's wings fluttered with frustration, and a feather or two drifted to the ground as a result of his stress. He rubbed the heels of his hands into his eyes as Hank collapsed on the couch, Sumo dutifully coming over to lay within arm's reach. Gavin kicked out, but there was nothing for his foot to land on in the blank room where he worked, so he marched to the wall and punched it. It felt good, and Hank began snoring, so he did it again, and again, and again.

If he were human, his knuckles would have at least busted open, if his fingers themselves weren't broken form the impact. As a guardian, there was no physical evidence of his outburst. He tugged at his hair, willing himself to not give up. He couldn't, not after what he did for Cole, and Hank _needed_ him. If Gavin hadn't watched his every move for the past few months, Hank would have killed himself already, but Gavin didn't know what to do anymore.

He laid his palm against the view in front of him and pleaded one more time " I want to help you." The sob that shuddered out of him was unbidden, but Gavin didn't hold back. "I'm sorry. God, I'm so fucking sorry, but you have to _stop blaming yourself_."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you very much for reading! Please Kudos, Comment, and Subscribe! As always, feel free to send prompts here or @mpmwrites on tumblr!


End file.
